Once a hare was roaming near a lake in a  forest. Suddenly he saw a tortoise and mocked at him saying - "Hurry up, you  slow coach! don't you find life very dull taking so long to cover a few  yards? I could have run to the other side of the lake by now." The  tortoise felt teased and dared the hare to a race. The race was to be  through the wood to a fixed goal. The hare agreed laughingly. In a few minutes he  was away and out of sight. "What a funny race it is!" He said to himself , "I am already half -way through. but  it is too-too cold; why not have a nap in the warm sunshine?" The tortoise walked steadily on and on. In a  short time, he passed by the sleeping hare. The hare slept  far longer then he had  intended. When  he woke up at last, he looked around in surprise and said to himself," Not even a sigh of the poor tortoise  anywhere so far; I had better trot along and finish the race." The hare ran to the goal. He was amazed to see  all the animals cheering the tortoise who had arrived just a minute earlier. How ashamed he felt indeed! 
Slow and steady wins the race. 